Code Geass: The Greatest Geass Of All POST R2
by Tower of Babel
Summary: A war is erupting and a stranger arrives at the Grand Palace asking for Suzaku and Nunnally's help to rescue his companion from dark forces in C's World. Two sinister enemies are wrecking havoc, and if not stopped, they could spell disaster for all Humanity, as well. Lelouch returns from most certain death to help prevent everything from unrivaling.
1. THE PROLOGUE - THE STRANGER

_**PROLOGUE**_

_**"THE STRANGER"**_

He stumbled down the sidewalk of a busy city street; his face shrouded by a hood, his frail body covered by a dusty coat that extended down to his knees.

People who walked past him whispered desolate comments about him. They thought he was homeless, possibly a drunkard, and he scowled at their ignorance. However, by their own fearfulness, this way, they left him alone. And that's what he wanted.

He collapsed to one knee. He was exhausted. He had been walking for days without rest or food. One passerby stopped. "Hey, are you okay, buddy?" asked the young man.

He looked up sheepishly at the concerned man, strains of his long black hair mimicking prison cell bars. "Go away," he breathed out.

"You look like you need medical attention," the man said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I said, go away." He slapped the man's arm away, and in doing so, revealed his face.

The man gasped. "I know you..."

He looked the man straight in the eyes, and a flash of crimson shot forth like a bird from his retina. It entered the man's eyes, and made its way into the nerve endings, the brain stem, and then conscious memory. "No, you don't. You've never seen me before. Do you understand?"

The man blinked, as if clarity of thought struck him. He upright himself, and said, "Sorry man, I thought you looked like someone I know or thought I knew."

He got to his feet, ignoring the man, and continued on. But then stopped after taking a few steps. He turned back to the man. "Where can I find Zero?" he asked demandingly.

"You mean the savior of Britannia? He's Empress Nunnally's royal knight now. He never leaves her side."

"Idiot! I said where can I find him?"

"The royal palace, where else?" The man hissed with disdain, and then walked away.

He scowled at the man, but then continued on.

**To be continued...**


	2. THE TROUBLED KNIGHT

_**CHAPTER 1**_

_**"THE TROUBLED KNIGHT"**_

The royal palace. It was a thing of splendor and beauty, especially the back gardens that extended for many acres. And this was where Nunnally spent most of her time when she wasn't engaged in her royal duties as Empress of Britannia.

It was one year since Lelouch had died, and in that time so many things had been opened up to her. It was also a time of peace around the world.

The nations of the world blamed her brother for all the evils in the world, believing his ill-got supernatural power called Geass caused them. Since then, Britannia had opened up talks with the Chinese Federation in a trade embargo that would aid other newly established nations. For the first time ever, the world was unified. And it was all thanks to Lelouch.

"_I destroyed the world, and made it…a new,_" were the last words he ever spoke.

Zero had killed him. But it had been planned between Lelouch and Suzaku. Suzaku later told her Lelouch's reason. But she had seen a vision given to her by the power of Geass detailing everything. It had revealed it to her when she touched Lelouch just before he died.

She cried harder than she had ever done when he died, but she didn't blame Zero. Lelouch had done everything for her, he wanted to make a better world for her and everyone to live in, but he had to make the world hate him to do it, and he succeeded, with holding the world hostile with the weapon known as Damocles that had been developed by weapon manufactures employed by Prince Schneizel.

Zero put a comforting hand on her shoulder as she sat in her wheelchair in front of the tomb marker of Lelouch's grave. He was buried in the royal gardens, overlooking the villa, and near the lake, under the shade of a tall oak tree.

She put a hand on Zero's hand and slightly leaned on it. They were alone, but the person behind the mask could not take it off in public or risk revealing his identity. He was not a mystery to her. She knew exactly who he was. And in private chambers, he did remove his mask to her.

However, this person was just as much hated as her brother. And if the world ever discovered he was still alive, and in service to her, there would be calls for his execution, and she would be under obligation to give him over. He would be tried for crimes against humanity. His name was already synonymous with hate.

"Time to go, Empress," Zero said officially. He kept up appearances in public. She looked into Zero's face plate and saw her own reflection. "You have a pressing manner with the Chinese Federation dignity in an hour downtown; your car will be here soon; we should begin to prepare for the trip." Zero was correct. Normally such a trip would not be so troublesome, but because she was in a wheelchair, it took her twice as long than it would a normal person who could walk.

"What bothers you, Zero?" she asked him. She kept up appearances in public as well, even when they were alone, like now. It was a request from him that she do this, just in case someone was watching or listening to them. They had to be careful.

Zero didn't answer right away. "Nothing, your Highness," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"You're lying to me. You forget, I was blind for most of my life but I developed an acute sense of hearing during that time, I was able to read people's emotions just by listening to their voice. Just because I can see now, doesn't make my other senses any less dull. I can here an uneasiness in your voice. Tell me what's wrong."

Zero was silent for a moment, thoughtful. "We should retire to your chambers. What I have to say is of a private matter."

If anyone had been listening, Zero's words must have sounded like they were involved romantically. But she understood what he meant. And she agreed.

( * * * )

Zero wheeled the Empress into her chambers, and then locked the door behind him. He then relinquished control of her wheelchair and she moved it under her own power.

She rolled it deeper into the spacious, well furnished room, and then turned back. Zero stood silent in front of the door. Normally he would've removed his mask by now, but he hesitated. Recently he had come to loath his true self. Zero was who he was now.

And yet who he was, metaphorically, was no body. That was Lelouch's intent when he choice the name. A no body, nothing, just a name. But it was now a name with powerful clout. He had taken up the mantle of this revolutionary and turned him into a hero. But he had to kill Lelouch to do it, and that moment in history continuously haunted his thoughts.

"_You will become the savior of the world, by killing the enemy of the world..._" Lelouch had said.

They had choreographed everything beforehand and it went exactly as Lelouch planned. Lelouch met death with a smile. It was an assassination the world witnessed on a live broadcast around the world, then repeated around the world, captured on the internet, and then passed on, until no one could deny it.

Headlines in newspapers unified: _"Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia killed by Zero!" _as he traveled with the cavalcade on his motorcade.

After the shock had cleared, Nunnally was appointed Lelouch's successor over Prince Schneizel because of her direct relation by blood and siblingship, born of the same mother. Everyone else in the royal family were of different family decent; same father but different mothers. But Nunnally was welcomed and accepted by all in a lavish ceremony.

He knew he had a big role to play in this new world. He had no true power, save for his presence at the Empress's side. But for what he had done, saving the world from tyranny of Emperor Lelouch - _Lelouch the Demon people had called him_ - Zero was branded a hero, and all his past crimes were admonished.

The Knight of Zero - Suzaku Kururugi - on the other hand, was branded a criminal and a traitor to the Japanese people, for siding with Lelouch. They labeled him a demon seed spawn by the Devil. His tomb marker was destroyed by vandals. And then removed. Leaving no trace of where he was buried.

Zero thought it was best that way.

Suzaku Kururugi removed the mask of Zero. The mask he swore to don for the rest of his life. A solumn Geass oath he gave to Lelouch just before he died. After all, the whole world believed Suzaku Kururugi was dead, killed with the Lancelot Albion when he fought Kallen Kouzuki, a member of the former Black Knights, that Lelouch had established. But he managed to escape secretly. Lelouch's Geass instruction to _Live! _at all costs, demanded it.

Now he was Zero. Just Zero. A man without an identity. And this is what bothered him. Even after a year, he found it exceptionally difficult.

And he deeply missed Arthur. But he was thankful to learn Gino Weinberg, the Knight of Three, had adopted him.

He felt a drip of sweat slide down the edge of his face. It was a warm day and the mask was like an incubator of heat. _How did Lelouch deal with it?_ he thought. He also felt claustrophobic at times.

"What's wrong, Suzaku?" asked Nunnally. "You look troubled."

He didn't immediately look at her, but then did so with sad eyes. What she said was an understatement. He was indeed troubled.

**To be continued…**


	3. THE ZERO OF NEW

_**CHAPTER 2**_

_**"THE ZERO OF NEW"**_

Suzaku lowered his head feeling ashamed, guilt ridden. They were faceless, but everyone of the 25 million people he killed with that blast from Damocles continuously haunted his thoughts.

Over the past year, he had felt increasingly despondent; and Nunnally once remarked to him that she noticed he had lost that zest in his eyes she had once come to know, that he rarely smiled, if at all. But he couldn't remember the last time he felt truly happy. The emotion was like a foreign entity that only others had or were allowed to experience.

_I'm Zero. I'm not allowed to feel. Behind the mask, I'm nothing._

"Suzaku, come here," Nunnally said.

He looked up and looked into her eyes, the eyes that whenever he saw, he felt guilty for stealing Lelouch away from her. And yet, she never looked sad, and she always spoke highly of him, in only present company. Publicly, Lelouch vi Britannia was a name as taboo as incest or something equally horrible, and no one spoke it out loud.

In the former revitalized Eleven Ghettos, the citizens cursed his name and everyone thanked Zero for killing Lelouch. But the true Lelouch was a kind and loving brother whom Nunnally still adored. He had cared more about the world than anyone could've imagined, and he gave his life for the establishment of a world in peace. His plans had succeeded beyond anything he could've thought possible. All war and conflict had stopped since Lelouchs death. The world had blamed everything evil on him.

Often Nunnally cried for Lelouch, and spoke to him, visiting his grave that was located in the back gardens. It was a peaceful peace. Rolo's body was also buried here, relocated. Lelouch had told Nunnally in his Will of the circumstances in regards of Rolo, and despite the implanted memories given to him by their father's attempt to rewrite his mind, he wanted Rolo to be remembered as the brother he never had.

In the two months leading up to his death, while Lelouch was Emperor of Britannia, he had implemented many policies and accomplished countless things, most of which still stand under Nunnally's rule. But unlike Nunnally, Lelouch hid behind a facade of deceit. A deceit he wanted the world to think he was a tyrant, so he publicly engaged in acts that helped fuel that hatred. Nunnally, on the other hand, was kind, sweet, honest and loving. And well respected by all. A complete opposite of her brother, people said. Many horrible things were said about Lelouch, but she kept her tongue and didn't retort, despite crying her eyes out in private.

Nunnally give him a smile. "Don't look so sad, Suzaku," she said. "Tell me what's wrong?"

Suzaku shook his head. "It's unimportant. You have more pressing matters than my problems, especially when it comes to the affairs of state, for which your car will be arriving soon to take you to the Senate."

"Suzaku, we've been friends since childhood. You were open with me before with any issues you've had politically, economically or socially, but these last couple of months you've become withdrawn. Now I want to know why."

"No, and this doesn't concern the state, it's a person manner, and one I care not to discuss."

"Then we will stay here until you do. I'm canceling my meeting with the Senate."

Suzaku felt a deep concern. "You can't, that would be inadvisable. This is a gravely important meeting with the heads of state and other political parties to discuss a free trade embargo with worldly nations. You can't cancel it."

"I will if you continue to be stubborn," Nunnally said sternly.

Suzaku sighed. He put his left hand to his face and rubbed closed eyes, and then said, when he looked back, "I haven't been sleeping well. And often I experience insomnia. Nothing seems to work to help me sleep, and if you've been having the dreams I've had, you wouldn't want to close your eyes either."

"What do you dream about?" asked Nunnally.

He sat down in a comfortable chair next to Nunnally's wheelchair. "Horrible dreams. The kind of dreams I wake up in a cold sweat. And I can remember each one vividly. Apocalyptic in nature, end of the world; the annihilation of all life on the planet." He told her the details of each dream, and how a man in a dark cloak and hood had orchestrated it all, destroying the world. An apothecary of doom. "Recently I've been having lucid dreams while awake, visions of the same manner."

Nunnally operated her mechanical wheelchair to a bookshelf about a couple of meters away. She reached for a book and flipped to a page. "I remember reading something like this in one of my dream books. Lelouch was always buying me books like this in brale. I love to read. The consensus by experts say anxiety is the cause; it symbolizes disorder in your life."

"What life. I'm stuck in his mask all day. Look at me, my skin is as white as a ghost. I used to be such an athlete too. Sorry, I don't mean to complain. I'm proud to take up the mettle of Zero, but sometimes it can be so overwhelming."

"Why haven't you said any of this to me before? I'm a good listener. Tell you what, let's take a vacation someplace tropical and well isolated, like an island."

"That's impossible to do, and you know it. We're too important. No one is just going to let us slip away. The whole world would be on alert and won't stop looking for us."

"It's never a good feeling to feel trapped. I don't like seeing you depressed, Suzaku. It depresses me."

"Sorry. This is why I didn't want to discuss this issue with you. I apologize if I caused you any trouble." He stood up and donned the Zero mask. "We ought to leave so you're not late."

"Don't be like that, Suzaku. Don't shut yourself off from me. I don't like it."

Suzaku didn't say anything. He merely stared at her through the face plate of the mask. He tried to clear his mind of all emotion, but as he looked at her, it was like she was staring directly into his eyes, as if the mask wasn't there.

She put the book down, then went over to a glass side table and picked up the phone. And subsequently canceled the Senate meeting.

"Why would you do that! You know how important that meeting was!" Suzaku said upset.

Nunnally stared at him in a disapproving manner. "Take it off. Take it all off. You don't deserve to wear that mask or that costume."

"I can't do that. This is who I am now. If anyone ever saw my face, all of Lelouch's work would be unrivaled. Suzaku Kururugi is dead. I am Zero now."

"I see nothing but a coward hiding behind a facade in attempt to bring purpose to an otherwise worthless existence. Is that how you really feel, Suzaku? That life isn't worth living? Despite my brothers Geass driving you, you still want to die?"

"I made a promise to Lelouch. I accepted his final Geass - to forever don the mask of Zero, to relinquish all ties to the outside world. And I've kept that. What I want is irrelevant."

"But you feel cheated, don't you? Admit it."

Suzaku turned away from her, his cape whipped around. He faced the door. "You are my purpose now, Empress," he said coldly. "Nothing else matters."

"Lair. The one thing I hate most is a lair. Lelouch never lied to me."

Suzaku turned back to her. "We all lie. Its humanitys nature to. Some people are just too blind to see the truth and choose to believe what others tell them. They are the truly ignorant ones. I neglected to tell you something of my dreams," he said spiteful. "Lelouch was in each one. He was the instigator to the apocalypse in envisioned. I told you it was a mysterious individual in a dark cloak and hood who begins it, but it was actually Lelouch I saw donning these clothes."

Nunnally looked shocked, and tears began to form in her eyes. "Why do you have to be so cruel, Suzaku? Why are saying such things?"

"Because it's true. I didn't have the heart to tell you. I knew you would react like this."

She wiped the tears from her eyes, then she narrowed them angrily. "Get out! I don't want to see you for the rest of the day! I'll call back and reinstate the meeting, but I don't want you there!"

"A wise decision, Empress. I'll bid you farewell for now and return to my room."

"And stay there until I call for you."

Suzaku took in a breath, let it out to calm himself. "I'm sorry I made you angry. But I'm not lying about Lelouch in my dreams." He then left her quarters.

Suzaku proceeded down the corridor and away from Nunnally's quarters. He knew she needed to cool off, and so did he. Despite trying to purge all emotion, the impossibility of the task was strongly apparent. It was part of being human. And even if his facial expressions could be contained behind the Zero mask, his body language would expose his feelings just the same.

His fists were clenched, and he could feel his nails digging sharply into his palms through the costumes gloves. But he wasn't angry because of their conversion, he was angry because Nunnally was correct in calling him a coward. He had been hiding behind a facade all his life, ever since he murdered his father. He tried to run away; he joined the Britiannian military to atone for his mistake, and hopefully die. It was said a coward dies many times over. And already he had lost count.

He needed a way to vent his frustration. And at that moment he wished for a boxing match with Gino Weinburg, the man formerly known as the Knight of Three.

When Nunnally was sworn in as Empress, the Knights of the Round were disbanded. It was felt their kind of warlike, militaristic enforcement wasn't needed anymore. Unfortunately, they weren't accepted openly into the general society without some animosity for what they did under Charles via Britiannia's rule. In fact, only Gino and Anya Alstriem were left. The rest died in battle.

Anya became an orange picker, but Gino seemed to just fade away. Suzaku had no idea where Gino was, or Arthur either. _But maybe it's a good thing, _he thought retrospectively. The last time Suzaku saw Gino was ten months ago, and he had cut his hair and grew a beard. _I guess we both have to hide ourselves now._

He heard a door open. "Wait!" He stopped, turned, and saw Nunnally facing him, in front of her quarters. She rolled her wheelchair to him. She was smiling, but showed an equal amount of guilt. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to feel sorry for. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I'm sorry, Empress."

"No, I need to apologize. Lelouch loved you like a brother. He wouldn't have given you the responsibility of donning that mask if he knew you couldn't handle it. I can't imagine the sacrifice you made to be here now, but I know in my heart, Lelouch wouldn't want you to be sad. Please. If you need to talk to me about anything at all, just say so, and that includes any disturbing dreams."

Suzaku nodded.

"Now, let's get ready for that meeting," said Nunnally.

"You better call the chairman back and tell him you will be attending," said Suzaku.

Nunnally smiled. "I never called him. I only pretended."

Suzaku chuckled. "And I fell for it. I thought you didn't like lairs?"

Nunnally smiled. "White lies are different."

To be continued


End file.
